Wat Arun was built in the late 1700s and is across the river from the Palace. It was built after the King returned from battles in Burma and arrived at this site at dawn. It housed the Emerald Buddha until it was relocated to the Palace. The temple fell into disrepair until reappointed by later rulers in the 19th century. Unlike the other temples, Wat Arun does not center around a Buddha… Instead, it’s prime feature is its central spire (or Prang). It has four very steep staircases that we’re blocked off from ascending. But we were able to climb to the second level, which allowed a close-up of the intricate designs of white ceramic. Hopefully the pictures allow a glimpse of how truly spectacular the workmanship and color are…I’ll put a larger photo at the bottom of this entry for a closer look…Enjoy:
